Job Search Experience Survey

CONTACT

Labour Market Section
Australian Bureau of Statistics, Canberra
Telephone (02) 6252 7206

DESCRIPTION

The Job Search Experience Survey examines the job search experience of unemployed persons, with particular focus on two key aspects - steps taken to find work, and the barriers encountered in finding work. It also provides information about employed persons who started their current job in the previous twelve months, the steps taken to attain work and their current job details. Demographic information is provided about both of these groups.

Scope

The scope of the LFS is restricted to persons aged 15 years and over, who were unemployed in July of the survey year and people employed in July of the survey year who started their current job in the previous year; excluding the following people:

• members of the permanent defence forces
• certain diplomatic personnel of overseas governments, customarily excluded from the census and estimated populations
• overseas residents in Australia
• members of non-Australian defence forces (and their dependants).

The survey was conducted in both urban and rural areas in all states and territories, but excluded people living in very remote parts of Australia. Students at boarding schools, patients in hospitals, residents of homes (e.g. retirement homes, for people with disabilities), and inmates of prisons are also excluded.

Reference Period

July

Frequency of Collection

Annual

Method of Collection

This survey is conducted throughout Australia as a supplementary survey to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) monthly Labour Force Survey (LFS). Information is collected from a responsible adult on behalf of household members. Interviews are conducted over the phone by trained interviewers. Since August 1994 the sample for supplementary surveys has been restricted to no more than seven-eighths of the LFS sample.

DISSEMINATION

Release schedule

Data were released in December 2006.

Publications

Job Search Experience, Australia (ABS cat. no. 6222.0)

Geography

Data are available for Australia, states and territories.

Data service

Customised tables are available from the ABS upon request, as a charged service.

DATA ITEMS

Demographic
State or territory of usual residence
Section of state
Sex
Age group
Marital status
Relationship in household
Country of birth
Year of arrival in Australia

Job Details
Jobs in previous 12 months
Steps taken to find work
Duration of current period of unemployment
Registered job seekers
Difficulty in finding work
Last job
Current job
Leave entitlements
employment status

Education
level of highest educational attainment
Level of highest non-school qualification
Highest year of school completed
Whether qualification obtained overseas/Australia

Historical Data

Job Search Experience was first conducted in 2002. Results of similar surveys on the job search experience of unemployed persons conducted since 1984 until 1991, and annually from 1992 to 2001 are published in various issues of Job Search Experience of Unemployed Persons, Australia (ABS cat. no. 6222.0) and Successful and Unsuccessful Job Search Experience, Australia (ABS cat. no. 6245.0).

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